Bereave \Be*reave"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bereaved, Bereft;
p. pr. & vb. n. Bereaving.] [OE. bireven, AS. bere['a]fian.
See Be-, and Reave.]
1. To make destitute; to deprive; to strip; -- with of before
the person or thing taken away.
Madam, you have bereft me of all words. --Shak.
Bereft of him who taught me how to sing. --Tickell.
2. To take away from. [Obs.]
All your interest in those territories Is utterly
bereft you; all is lost. --Shak.
3. To take away. [Obs.]
Shall move you to bereave my life. --Marlowe.
Note: The imp. and past pple. form bereaved is not used in
reference to immaterial objects. We say bereaved or
bereft by death of a relative, bereft of hope and
strength.
Syn: To dispossess; to divest.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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